call our Statutory Planning team on 1300 787 624 to ask. We will provide this information free of charge over the phone, or you can request it in writing.

Step 4 – Check burning off rules for your property size

Once you know the size of your property, you can burn off without a permit if you follow the rules listed below for your property size.

If your property is 20 hectares or less

If your property is bigger than 20 hectares

You can only burn off on Monday, Friday or Saturday.

You can burn off on any day except Sunday.

The edge of your fire must be a minimum of 10 metres away from any buildings.

The edge of your fire must be a minimum of 30 metres away from any buildings.

You must have a fire break of at least 3 metres around the fire. (A fire break is an area around the fire that is clear of materials that could catch on fire).

You must have a fire break of at least 6 metres around the fire. (A fire break is an area around the fire that is clear of materials that could catch on fire)

The materials you are burning cannot be more than 8 cubic metres in size.

The materials you are burning cannot be more than 64 cubic metres in size

You can only have 1 fire burning at a time.

You can only have 3 fires burning at a time

You follow all rules in Step 5 (see below).

You follow all rules in Step 5 (see below).

Step 5 – Check your fire will meet the following conditions

Finally, burning off is only allowed if you follow all the rules below:

You cannot light a fire on a SMOG alert day. Fires are strictly not allowed on EPA-declared SMOG alert days. To check if a SMOG alert day has been declared, go to the EPA website and check the ‘air quality’ section or call the EPA on 1300 372 842.

You must register your burn-off with the CFA. Before you light your fire, you must register your burn off so the CFA don’t get called out to your fire.

Fires must be supervised. A person 18 years or over with the means and ability to put the fire out must be present for the whole time the fire is alight.

The purpose of the fire must be to reduce fuel on your property. It cannot be lit for commercial or industrial purposes.

You can only burn dry vegetation. It must not still be green. Hard rubbish, household waste, flammable liquids or commercial or industrial waste is strictly not allowed to be burnt.

Fires must not cause a risk to other properties.

Smoke from the fire cannot reduce visibility on any roads.

Fires must not cause problems for other people. It must not be unreasonably offensive or a nuisance to another person – particularly from the smoke it creates.

You need to put the fire out if an authorised person tells you to. Fires must be immediately put out if a member of an emergency service or Council officer directs you to do this.